My invention relates generally to multiple piston swashplate compressors. It is an improvement in known multiple piston swashplate compressors used in the automobile industry, examples of which may be seen by referring to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,899; 3,864,801; 4,413,955; and 4,070,136.
Prior art swashplate compressors for automobile air conditioning systems may comprise cast aluminum alloy housings as illustrated, for example, in the prior art patents mentioned above. The cast housing usually is formed with two main housing parts, each of which has multiple piston openings formed therein. The piston openings of one cast housing part are adapted to register with and to be aligned with companion openings in the other cast housing part. A unitary piston assembly is mounted in the cylinder openings formed by the housing parts. Each piston assembly is provided with a bearing assembly that registers with an angled swashplate piston actuator that is secured to a driveshaft extending parallel to the axes of the cylinders. The cylinders are arranged in uniformly spaced angular relationship about the axis of the shaft. Thus when the shaft is rotated, the swashplate and the swashplate bearing assembly cause the pistons to reciprocate axially within their cylinders.
A valve plate assembly normally is located at each axial end of the cylinders. Intake and exhaust valves are disposed adjacent the valve plates, and front and rear cylinder heads are secured to each of the cylinder castings adjacent each valve assembly.
This prior art construction requires four separate castings including the two cylinder heads, which must be secured together by clamping bolts and sealed, one with respect to the other, to prevent leakage of refrigerant.
Prior art compressor constructions of this type present complex manufacturing operations when they are manufactured in high volume. The necessity for multiple castings increases the manufacturing costs, assembly time and machining. Furthermore, the castings of the prior art design are provided with internal porting with intake fittings and pressure delivery fittings located at the center of the casting so that the inlet fittings and pressure delivery fittings extend radially with respect to the axis of the shaft. This complicates the packaging of such compressors in a vehicle engine compartment where economy of space is of utmost importance.